The Education of Benjamin Frankl_考试试题_职称英语

The Education of Benjamin Franklin

History has given Benjamin Franklin a place ofenduring fame. He was a writer, an inventor, a scientist, and a statesman. Hislife history has enjoyed popular success for more than 200 years.

Franklin's education at school stopped when hewas ten years old. But he never stopped learning. For him, books held the keyto living happily and successfully. They were precious gifts.

In his early youth, he had a friend who workedfor a bookseller. Sometimes his friend would lend him books, which he wascareful to return quickly. Often he sat up in his room reading most of thenight in order to return a book before his friend's employer noticed itsabsence.

But Franklin was not a lonely scholar. For him,learning was a social experience. In his Autobiography, he tells aboutorganizing a club called the "Junto", which met every Friday night toimprove its members' minds:

"The rules I made required every member,in turn, to produce one or more questions on any point of Morals, Politics, orNatural Philosophy. The question would then be discussed by the whole group.Also, once in three months, each member was required to read an article he hadwritten on any subject he pleased.

"Our discussions were directed by apresident and conducted as an honest search for truth. We were to avoidunpleasant arguments or a desire for victory. Any member who did not obey theserules had to pay a fine."

The Junto which Franklin organized continuedfor many years. It was the best group for the discussion then. The questions weregiven to the members during the week before they were to be discussed. Thisencouraged the members to read carefully about each subject so that they mightspeak with more understanding.

When the Junto was organized, before the middleof the 18th century, there were no public libraries. There was not even a goodbookstore south of Boston. Franklin decided to improve this situation.

Each member of the Junto owned a few books. Aroom had been rented in which the members held the meetings. Franklin suggestedthat all the members should bring their books to the room. In this way the bookwould be a help to all during the weekly discussion. Also, each member would beallowed to take and read at home any book be chose.

Throughout his life, Benjamin Franklincontinued his education, learning from human contacts as well as from books.

EXERCISE:

1. Benjamin Franklin stopped his educationbecause his father could not afford the tuition.